The Cayman Islands Coast Guard coordinated an operation with Department of Environment officers and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers that resulted in the arrest of two men on suspicion of several poaching-related charges
The arrests came after a Coast Guard patrol boat spotted a vessel moving suspiciously in the waters off West Bay and alerted the police and Department of Environment officials.
Officers were waiting when the vessel made landfall and police seized more than 150 conch, and multiple fish with signs of spear wounds, as well as home-made gaffs, spears and fishing knives.
Two men were arrested, one aged 38 and the other 27.
Coast Guard crewman Cameron Seymour said, “We are grateful to our DoE and RCIPS colleagues for their support on land and in the air, as we monitored this vessel conducting illegal activities in our waters.
“Working alongside the Department of Environment to uphold marine conservation laws is just one facet of what the Coast Guard does to serve our community, and working with other partners such as the RCIPS is a great help.”
The incident happened just before 10:30am on Wednesday, 4 March in the protected waters off Barkers National Park.
The Coast Guard tried to make contact with the target vessel, but it ignored the attempts and moved into shallow waters.
The crew contacted land-based enforcement agencies and monitored the vessel as it left the Barkers area and shadowed it until the two men disembarked at Morgan’s Bay and left in a pickup truck.
Coast Guard and Department of Environment officers saw what appeared to be the same truck at Barkers Bay. Police set up a roadblock and used a helicopter to monitor the scene.
The men, one from West Bay and the other from George Town, were seen attempting to remove items from the truck and hide them nearby before their vehicle was intercepted by police.
The two were arrested on suspicion of possession of taking conch above the daily limit – five per person or a maximum of 10 per boat – and possession and use of an unlicensed spear gun.
Investigation continues
Police said an investigation into the incident by the Department of Environment’s Environment Conservation Enforcement Unit continued.
Chadd Bush, a Department of Environment conservation enforcement officer, highlighted that Cayman was marking the 40th anniversary of marine parks.
He added, “Our narrow coastal reefs cannot sustain the taking of such vast amounts of marine life.
“Our Marine Park boundaries and rules were established so our reefs can thrive, and we all may enjoy the bounty of our sea for generations to come.
“Many thanks to our partners at CICG and RCIPS for another successful collaboration resulting in arrest.”
Police Chief Superintendent Brad Ebanks added, “Just as we work with our communities to make the Cayman Islands safer, we also support our law enforcement partners in upholding the law.
“Our collaboration in law enforcement is truly important to protect our delicate environment.”
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